Abel to Yzerman
A Two-Year Deal For Anthony Mantha
by Paul on 07/11/18 at 02:50 PM ET
Comments (28)
added 3:58pm, Press release is below.
added 4:04pm, CapFriendly tweet on the cap on the Wings is below too.
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today agreed to terms with right wing Anthony Mantha on a two-year contract.
Mantha, 23, skated in 80 games with the Red Wings in 2017-18 and produced a team-leading 24 goals, while ranking among Detroit’s leaders with 24 assists (4th), 48 points (3rd), 52 penalty minutes (4th), nine power-play goals (1st), 190 shots (3rd) and a 12.6 shooting percentage (1st). He registered multiple points in a single game on 10 occasions last season, including four three-point games and a career-high four points (2-2-4) on March 6 at Boston. Mantha became part of Red Wings history during the 2017-18 campaign by scoring the first-ever goal at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit’s season-opening 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 5, 2017. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound winger has appeared in 150 games with the Red Wings since 2015-16, notching 87 points (43-44-87) and 107 penalty minutes.
The Longueuil, Quebec, native was drafted by the Red Wings in the first round (20th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He also appeared in 132 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from 2014-17, totaling 88 points (44-44-88), a plus-20 rating and 102 penalty minutes in 132 regular-season games and 15 points (6-9-15), a plus-six rating and 24 penalty minutes in 25 postseason games. Prior to turning professional, Mantha enjoyed a historic 2013-14 campaign in which he was named the Canadian Hockey League’s Player of the Year and the most-valuable player of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League after racking up 120 points (57-63-120) in 57 regular-season games and 38 points (24-14-38) in 24 playoff games to help the Val-d’Or Foreurs capture the QMJHL championship. In 189 QMJHL games between 2010-14, Mantha totaled 260 points (129-131-260), a plus-42 rating and 185 penalty minutes. He also led Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship with 11 points (5-6-11) in seven games.
Anthony Mantha, Right Wing
Born Sep 16 1994 -- Longueuil, PQ
Height 6.05 -- Weight 225 -- Shoots L
Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 1 #20 overall 2013 NHL Entry Draft
--- Regular Season --- ---- Playoffs ----
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------
2010-11 Val d'Or Foreurs QMJHL 2 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- --
2011-12 Val d'Or Foreurs QMJHL 63 22 29 51 39 4 2 2 4 6
2012-13 Val d'Or Foreurs QMJHL 67 50 39 89 71 9 5 7 12 13
2013-14 Val d'Or Foreurs QMJHL 57 57 63 120 75 24 24 14 38 52
2014-15 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 62 15 18 33 64 16 2 2 4 16
2015-16 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 60 21 24 45 32 9 4 7 11 8
2015-16 Detroit Red Wings NHL 10 2 1 3 2 -- -- -- -- --
2016-17 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 10 8 2 10 6 -- -- -- -- --
2016-17 Detroit Red Wings NHL 60 17 19 36 53 -- -- -- -- --
2017-18 Detroit Red Wings NHL 80 24 24 48 52 -- -- -- -- --
------------------------------
NHL Totals 150 43 44 87 107
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Comments
Well done, that’s substantially less than I (and a lot of people smarter than myself) had him coming in at.
Back of the napkin calcs tell me they can comfortably give Larkin $6.5/per now….
Disclaimer: I could be way off.
Posted by MZ2215 on 07/11/18 at 03:01 PM ET
This one doesn’t make the Athanasiou look nearly as good IMO.
They had an estimated $6,127,956 in cap space before signing Mantha, so there’s your guide what Larkin’s deal could be. To me that means they can’t offer Larkin what they even did to AA and Mantha. Which seems kinda’ crappy, TBH.
They’ll bury Franzen’s $3,954,545 right after the season starts, but until then they don’t actually have that space available IIRC.
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 03:01 PM ET
CapFriendly just updated w/ the Mantha signing.
They’re only showing $2,827,956 left for Larkin.
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 03:04 PM ET
Just added that tweet to the post Primis.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/11/18 at 03:05 PM ET
They’ll bury Franzen’s $3,954,545 right after the season starts, but until then they don’t actually have that space available IIRC.
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 04:01 PM ET
Can’t you go a certain % over the cap until training camp? I’m not sure the exact number, but I think that’s the case, in which case, I think they can still sign Larks at or around 5-6. I’d imagine they try to sell him on the type of deal Tavares was on before he hit UFA, if they’re using comparables.
Posted by dreamsofhope from Colorado on 07/11/18 at 03:07 PM ET
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 04:04 PM ET
10% overage tolerance during offseason
Posted by MZ2215 on 07/11/18 at 03:09 PM ET
10% overage tolerance during offseason
Posted by MZ2215 on 07/11/18 at 04:09 PM ET
Thank you! So if we have $2,827,956 until we hit the cap, plus Franzen’s $3,954,545, that’s $6,782,501 for Larks and whoever else makes the team.
We can add $3,945,455 beyond that as well, but would have to make a trade before the season to cover for it.
Posted by dreamsofhope from Colorado on 07/11/18 at 03:14 PM ET
You’re right, I forgot about the offseason overage allowance. That will possibly help things then.
Look at how much that defense is making for being so terrible though… *twitch*...
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 03:21 PM ET
Back of the napkin calcs tell me they can comfortably give Larkin $6.5/per now…
I sincerely hope they don’t.
Posted by CharDeeMacDennis on 07/11/18 at 03:29 PM ET
Surprising Mantha and AA got pretty much the same contract. AA probably has a better agent.
Posted by VPalmer on 07/11/18 at 03:44 PM ET
Great deal. Fair price and just long enough to see if he is going to find that other gear. Larkin on a bridge deal probably not a bad idea too. 5-6M or so on a short-term deal would be fair. Go long-term after Kronner & others off the books…
Posted by DrD on 07/11/18 at 04:43 PM ET
Let’s see if Larkin is a good sport and takes 3.3 like his teammates 
Good signing. Glad he’ll still be an rfa before it expires… Was nervous they would do a longer term contract with him, since his upside is still pretty unknown.
Posted by TreKronor on 07/11/18 at 04:49 PM ET
I wouldn’t have minded a 5 year for Mantha, because I suspect he’ll find a way to knock out a couple solid seasons and run up his next deal. If the team can contend by 2021 that extra $1-2 million cap space would have come in handy.
He can be tough to play against and brings some physicality while being fast enough to catch the people who need to be hit. Need Rasmussen/Larkin/Zadina to have the occasional protection.
Posted by mtta on 07/11/18 at 07:40 PM ET
I wouldn’t have minded a 5 year for Mantha, because I suspect he’ll find a way to knock out a couple solid seasons and run up his next deal. If the team can contend by 2021 that extra $1-2 million cap space would have come in handy.
Posted by mtta on 07/11/18 at 08:40 PM ET
If he knocks out a couple seasons of 25-30, pay the man. He’ll only be 25 then still.
Posted by Primis on 07/11/18 at 08:04 PM ET
Good signing for the Red Wings. Now of course the cap maneuvering begins in order to sign Larkin. Should be interesting. 
Posted by bigfrog on 07/11/18 at 09:37 PM ET
As I understand it, the RFA with no arb rights was going to be offered a 6m a year deal BC it would be long term.. eating into UFA years.
A shorter deal would probably mean a lower number and then pay him UFA money if he lives up.
Posted by ThatGuy on 07/11/18 at 09:52 PM ET
Well it’s a good thing we have Fran’s Nielsen sucking up $5.25 mil. Per year, or otherwise we might overpay guys like Mantha & Larkin….. 
Posted by Down River Dan on 07/11/18 at 09:59 PM ET
It’s a good deal. Mantha now has to earn his next payday and the Wings have the protection that he is an RFA the next time around too. I honestly thought he’d get a little bit more but not much. I was more worried about this contract than Larkin’s because Mantha might have been looking for more than the Wings wanted to pay, at this point. Glad to see it didn’t come to that.
I don’t think they’ll have much issue with signing Larkin. Although many of us might like a bridge deal, it is possible the Wings want to lock him up longer term at a possible salary reduction. Anything below $6M long term could be a steal. Above that it becomes a gamble.
Posted by evileye on 07/12/18 at 07:54 AM ET
How would you all feel about 8 years at $6.5 for Larkin?
I don’t think they would offer him that, but you never know. That’s been the trend with good, younger players. That would put him at 29 years of age at the end of the 8th season.
Posted by TreKronor on 07/12/18 at 08:36 AM ET
Surprising Mantha and AA got pretty much the same contract. AA probably has a better agent.
Posted by VPalmer on 07/11/18 at 04:44 PM ET
Or arbitration rights…
Posted by MurrayChadwick from Holland Hate Hyperbole Town (HHHT) on 07/12/18 at 08:57 AM ET
How would you all feel about 8 years at $6.5 for Larkin?
Nope. Too long. I’d do four max. If he won’t sign an extension in year three, flip him for picks and prospects. Maybe soften that stance if he’ll be in a RFA window.
Posted by Tripwire32 from Kay He Mar Heart on 07/12/18 at 09:07 AM ET
How would you all feel about 8 years at $6.5 for Larkin?
I don’t think they would offer him that, but you never know. That’s been the trend with good, younger players. That would put him at 29 years of age at the end of the 8th season.
Posted by TreKronor on 07/12/18 at 09:36 AM ET
Larkin’s career bests are 23 G and 63 PTS. That’s a lot of cap hit and term for the kid before he’s really earned it. I wouldn’t be too happy.
Sign him for 3 or 4 years at a lower number and let him earn his next one still.
Locking these kids up long-term makes no sense.
Posted by Primis on 07/12/18 at 09:47 AM ET
How would you all feel about 8 years at $6.5 for Larkin?
Jesus, are you kidding???
Posted by CharDeeMacDennis on 07/12/18 at 10:05 AM ET
Give Larkin a contract till his last RFA offseason and no more.
Posted by Colin from Ken Holland's new yacht, "Incompetence" on 07/12/18 at 10:38 AM ET
Or arbitration rights…
Posted by MurrayChadwick from Holland Hate Hyperbole Town (HHHT) on 07/12/18 at 09:57 AM ET
Beat me to it
Posted by EthrDemon on 07/12/18 at 12:43 PM ET
Glad we’ve got Mantha in the fold. Now, onto D-Boss.
Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!
Posted by Kate from PA now in SC-made in Detroit on 07/12/18 at 01:13 PM ET
“How would you all feel about 8 years at $6.5 for Larkin?”
I would hate that. Larkin hasn’t “arrived” anywhere yet. His performance last season wasn’t worth $6.5M & while there’s reason to hope that he’ll be improved this season he’s still a question mark as far as being a Top-Flight Center. I wouldn’t want to lock him in for 8 years this early. I’d prefer something much shorter, less than 5yrs at least…. but Holland has to consider which off-season he wants the next re-signing to fall on and he may want to postpone that date beyond 5yrs.
Posted by alwaysaurie on 07/12/18 at 01:25 PM ET
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Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/11/18 at 02:57 PM ET